This invention is directed to the field of matable electrical connectors for establishing electric circuits between pairs of connectors. More specifically, the present invention is directed to that portion of the above-noted field which is concerned with the mechanism by which matable connectors are maintained in assembled relationship. More particularly still, the present invention is directed to that portion of the above-noted field which is concerned with mechanisms by which matable pairs of connector blocks are held in assembled relationship by an overcenter locking type mechanism which may be easily intentionally separated while maintaining a positively locked relationship when separation is not intended.
Electrical connectors of the general type described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,406 issued Jan. 20, 1976 for an Electrical Connector Block Assembly Having Overcenter Locking, which patent is assigned to the same assignee as this patent application. The abovenoted patent is hereby incorporated by reference. The abovenoted patent contains an excellent discussion of the requirements associated with mating of electrical connectors, particularly those electrical connectors which are utilized in automotive vehicles. This patent also contains a description of the prior art and shows a particular system for overcoming the disadvantages noted in the prior art. This patent also contains a full discussion of the requirements for securing proper mating of electrical connections and the desirability of providing an electrical connector which gives all the desired mating characteristics but also permits easy unmating of such connectors when separation of the connectors is desired.
It is the principal object of this invention to provide an easily releasable overcenter locking structure for a pair of matable connectors which is simple and efficient in operation, which provides the necessary structure to achieve proper mating of the connectors, but which provides for release of such mated connectors by simply pulling on the same and without utilizing specially designed tools.